Headlamp units



Aug. 13, 1968 P. clBlE 3,397,307

HEADLAMP UN I T S Filed March 5, 1965 INVENTOR PIERRE CIBIE RTTORNETUnited States Patent O 3,397,307 HEADLAMP UNITS Pierre Cibie, 17 RueValentine, Bobigny, Seine-St.-Denis, France Filed Mar. 3, 1965, Ser. No.436,889 Ciaims priority, application France, Mar. 23, 1964,

z c1aims.(ci.240-41.3)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A motor vehicle headlamp unit comprising aheadlamp lens, a metallie reflector and a light source support. Theouter peripheral edge of the reflector is formed as an annular stripengaged in a corresponding annular groove in the lens and imbedded in asuitable jointing material in the groove so as to be protected againstcorrosion. The inner periphery of the reflector also forms an annularstrip engaged in a corresponding annular groove formed in the lightsource support, and imbedded in a jointing material in the groove in thelight source support so as to be protected against corrosion.

Background of the invention This invention relates to motor vehicleheadlamp units comprising a headlamp lens, for example of glass, areflector generally of metal, and a light source support.

The lens and the reflector, together making up the headlamp unit, areusually non-detachably stuck together with the reflector extendingaround the periphery of the lens, or else connected by a rim of the lensbeing crimped in a receiving edge of the reflector. The disadvantage ofsuch systems is that the reflector end face section or edge is thenexposed to atmosphere and undergoes corrosion because of defective localprotection and prolonged exposure to corrosive agents.

A similar disadvantage occurs at the end of the reflector which isconnected -to the light source support.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a headlamp unitwherein the reflector end adjacent the lens is covered by a rim of suchlens, a jointing material being provided between the end and the rim sothat the front of the reflector is protected from atmosphere.

Thus in one very simple embodiment, the end of the reflector forms anannular strip housed in a corresponding groove in the lens and embeddedin a suitable jointing material, for example a strip of aralditeintroduced into the groove.

According to another embodiment, the reflector end may be formed as afrusto-conical band which bears against an annular surface of the lensand co-operates with an outer rim of the lens to define anannular'recess of substantially triangular section which is filled withjointing material.

It is a further object of the present invention to apply theseadvantageous features to the other end of the reflector, i.e., thereflector end adjacent the headlamp source support.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a lampbase formed with a circular rim against which bears the associated endof the reflector, which is then in the form of a ring, the reflectorporton adjacent such end co-operating with the outer surface of the rimof the lamp base to define an annular zone of triangular section whichis filled Iwith jointing material.

In another embodiment, the ring forming the reflector end is situated ina groove formed in the lamp base and inside a strip of araldite or anyother similar glue.

3,397,30i7 Patented Aug. 13, 1968 ICC The result of these systemsaccording to the inventior is that the end section of the reflector atthe lens side and/or the light source side is protected by its end beingisolated inside the jointing material or by said end being disposedinside the headlamp unit, unlike the previous units in which the saidend was exposed to atmosphere All of the above and additional objects ofthe invention will become clear upon consideration of the followingdescriptions, given solely by way of example, and with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partial side view in section along a diameter of anembodiment of a lens and reflector unit according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a detail of a view similar to FIGURE 1 of another embodimentof lens and reflector unit, according to the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a partial side view in section along a diameter of anotherembodiment of lens and reflector unit, in which the reflector is fittedto the base of a lamp, according to the invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a detail of a view similar to FIGURE 3 of another embodimentin which a reflector is fitted to the base of a lamp, according to theinvention.

Referring to FIGURE l, a headlamp unit comprises a lens 1, of glass orany suitable material, and a reflector 2, for example of metal. The wideopening end of the reflector 2 terminates in an annular flange porton2b, which, according to the invention, is accommodated in an annulargroove formed in the end 1b of the lens 1 and is secured therein by ajointing material 3 formed by a strip of araldite composition or othersuitable material.

In this embodiment of headlamp unit, the respective positions of thereflector 2 and of the lens 1 are advantageously located by an annularface 2c of the reflector 2 abutting against a corresponding surface lcof the lens 1.

Referring to FIGURE 2, there is shown another embodiment of headlampunit in which a reflector 2' terminates in a frusto-conical porton 2'bwhich bears against a surface l'c of the lens 1' and co-operates with asurface 1'b of the projecting end of the lens to define an annularwedge-shaped or trapezoidal-section space which is filled with jointingmaterial 3'.

Referring again to FIGURE 1, there is shown an eX- ample of aconventional system in which the end 2a of the reflector 2 is mounted ona cylindrical shoulder 5a on the base 5 of the headlampbulb 4 of theunit. However, referring to FIGURES 3 and 4, on the other hand, thereare shown two embodiments, according to the invention, in which the edgeof the inner end of the reflector is protected by disposing the sameinside the headlamp unit (FIGURE 3) or in a strip of aralditecomposition or other suitable material (FIGURE 4).

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 3, reflector 20 terminates an anannular portion 20a which bears against a corresponding shoulder 50a onthe base 50 of a headlamp bulb 40, the other surface 50b of the shoulderco- Operating with a frusto-conical inclined porton 20d of the reflectorto define an annular Wedge-shaped zone filled with jointing material 60.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 4, reflector 20' is fitted to the base50' of the headlamp bulb 40' in a manner substantially similar to thefitting of the reflector to the lens shown in FIGURE 1, i.e. thereflector terminates in an annular cylindrical porton 20'a embedded injointing material 60' inside an annular groove of the lamp base 50'.

Of course; the arrangement according to the invention may be embodied atboth ends of the reflector simultaneously. Thus, FIGURE 3 shows areflector 20 whose wide aperture end 2012 is protected by a covering ofjointing material in a groove in end 10=b of the lens 10 while :hesmaller aperture end 20a is protected by being dis- Josed inside theheadlamp unit.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various :hanges maybe made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof and, therefore, the nvention is not limited by that which isillustrated in the irawings and described in the specification, but onlyas ndicated in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. In a headlamp unit comprising a metallic refiector Javing an outerpe-ripheral edge and an inner peripheral zdge, a light source supportengaging said inner periph- :ral edge, and a headlamp lens cooperableWith said outer peripheral edge; the improvement in which said .ens isformed, adjacent its periphery, with concentric irst and second annularcylindrical Shoulders, said second ihoulder being spaced radiallyinwardly of said first ;houlder; a first radially inwardly directed'face formed Jn said first shoulder and a second outwardly directed faceformed on said second shoulder; said first and second Eaces definingbetween them a rectangular cross-section annular groove; said outerperipheral edge of said reflector being formed as a cylindrical flangeengaged in said annular groove; a jointing composition filling saidgroove whereby said reflector outer peripheral edge is 25 simultaneouslysealed to said lens and protected against :orrosion by said jointingcomposition; and a rea-rwardly Eacing radially extending bearing surfaceon said second shoulder; said reflector having, adjacent its outerperiphery, a forwardly facing radially extending portion juxtaposedagainst said rearwardly facing radially extending bearing portion.

2. A headlamp unit, as claimed in claim 1, including means mounting thelight source support on said inner peripheral edge; said mounting meanscomprising a third annular cylindrical shoulder on the light sourcesupport and a fourth annular cylindrical shoulder on the light sourcesupport spaced radially inwardly of the third annular shoulder andconcentric therewith; a third radially inwardly directed cylindricalface on said third shoulder and a fourth radially outwardly directedcylindrical face on said second shoulder; said third and fourth facesdefining between them rectangular cross-section annular slot; the innerperipheral edge of said reflector being formed as a cylindrical flangeenga'ged in said last-named annular slot; and a further jointingcomposition filling said last-named annular slot and engaging said innerperipheral edge and said third and fourth faces to hold said innerperipheral edge in said last-named slot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,750,491 6/ 1956 Anderson210-415 3,010,045 11/1961 Plagge et al. 313-113 FOREIGN PATENTS 502,0273/ 1939 Great Britain. 545,891 7/1956 Italy.

0 NORTON ANSI-IER, Primary Examiner.

R. M. SHEER, Assistant Examiner.

